March 13 (Bloomberg) -- Liang Wen Chong, China's second winner of a European PGA event, has the potential to become the country's first champion on the U.S. PGA Tour, according to a leading Chinese golf official.

Li Yong, deputy secretary general of the China Golf Association, said the 28-year-old Liang underlined his promise by winning the European Tour's Singapore Masters two days ago. Liang, ranked 78th in the world, beat Malaysia's Iain Steel in a sudden-death playoff to clinch his first victory on a major tour.

``If he can win on the European Tour, he can win in the U.S.,'' Li said in a telephone interview from Beijing. ``Many people think he can be the next star.''

Golf in China has prospered since the first course was built 23 years ago, with about 1 million people taking up the sport. China needs a high-profile champion to encourage younger players and raise golf's standing in a nation where it's largely viewed as a pastime of the rich, Li said.

``He can be the key person to be the superstar for Chinese golf,'' Li said. ``It's a big dream for us that he will win a major too. I hope so but I don't have a timeframe.''

Liang, a resident of Zhongshan in southeastern China, was singled out as his country's leading prospect when he won three straight China Open amateur titles and tied for fourth at the 1999 China Open as an amateur.

He took over as China's No. 1 in the past year from 41- year-old Zhang Lian Wei, the country's standard-bearer who was the first Chinese winner on the European Tour at the 2003 Singapore Masters. Zhang also became the first Chinese to play at the Masters Tournament in 2004.

`More Potential'

``I think he can go further than Zhang,'' Li said. ``He has more potential as a golfer. He's a very talented player and very generous.''

Liang donated his Singapore Masters winner's check of $183,330 to aid the development of golf in China, repeating the gesture he made after winning three tournaments on the Chinese Tour and after the 1999 Volvo China Open.

``It's not about the money,'' Liang told reporters after his victory at the Laguna National Golf & Country Club. ``I just want to do my part as a golfer to help golf develop in China.''

Liang said he will ``treasure the opportunity'' to play in Europe -- he won an exemption until the end of 2009. He would also like to play in the U.S. but said he will ``take one step at a time.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Grant Clark at Laguna Golf Club in Singapore at gclark@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 13, 2007 02:18 EDT